


Love and Whiskey

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-02-07
Updated: 2007-02-07
Packaged: 2019-01-19 14:00:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12411675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: A bit of pain mixed with the sweet sorrow of love. Love and whiskey bring two people together from their quiet sufferings. RemusTonks.





	Love and Whiskey

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

_I’ve never been the kind_  
To ever let my feelings show  
And I thought that being strong  
Meant never losing your self-control  
But I’m just drunk enough  
To let go of my pain  
To hell with my pride  
Let it fall like rain from my eyes  
Tonight I wanna cry

 

“You’re sure you’ve got everything you need, now?”� A worried Molly Weasley questioned. 

 

Tonks leaned against the wall, grinning, “We’ll be fine, I swear it.”� 

 

“And if you–“ 

 

Molly didn’t get to finish her sentence as Tonks sighed out of sheer exasperation, “We’ll floo or something if we need anything. Anything at all. Go on, now. Can’t have you standing here until midnight now, could we?”�

 

Molly sighed, looking quizzically at Tonks. In a quieter voice she asked, “Are you going to be alright Tonks, dear?”� 

 

Tonks swallowed looking behind her at the kitchen door. Turning back to Molly she nodded and gave the motherly woman a hug. “Happy New Year, Molly.”� 

 

“Happy New Year, Tonks.”� Breaking off the hug, Molly smiled, “I’d best be off then. And remember, if you–“ 

 

Tonks threw some floo powder into the fireplace, exclaiming, “Oh would you look at that. Wouldn’t want to waste some perfectly good floo powder, now. You’d better go. Bye Molly!”� 

 

Molly rolled her eyes but stepped into the fireplace. She eyed Tonks for a moment, smiling she said, “Good bye Nymphadora. The Burrow!”� And she was gone. 

 

Tonks let out a sigh as the green flames died away. Closing her eyes and massaging her temples, Tonks walked into the kitchen. 

 

“Head ache already? We haven’t even broken out the firewhiskey.”� 

 

Tonks opened her eyes to a curious Remus Lupin. Grumbling, she replied, “Try saying good bye to Molly Weasley.”� 

 

“Ah,”� Remus said wisely, “I’ve got the perfect cure. If wer’e to watch Grimmauld Place on New Year’s Eve, this is absolutely necessary.”� Bending down, he pulled something out of the cupboard beneath the kitchen island. Standing back up, he dumped two cases onto the table the table and then stepped back, staring at expectantly at it. 

 

Tonks coughed, rather surprised at the appearance of the alcohol, “Er, it’s not going to move.”� 

 

Remus turned to glare at her, “I know that,”� he grumbled. 

 

Tonks choked down a chuckle. Swallowing, she said slowly, “Then… what exactly are we waiting for?”� 

 

Remus looked at her for a moment with the most bewildered expression. Then, returning his attention to the firewhiskey, he shrugged. 

 

Tonks rolled her eyes, and she headed over to the table, wrenching open the top to one of the cases. 

 

“Don’t you think we should wait?”� Remus asked, holding a protective arm over his whiskey. 

 

“Why in Merlin’s name would we want to do that?”� Tonks asked, looking around for a bottle opener. 

 

“We do want it to last us all night…”� Remus muttered. 

 

Tonks stopped, bottle opener in hand, gaping open-mouthed at Remus. “How much whiskey do you think you’re going to go through, Rem? I didn’t even know you drank.”� 

 

Remus laughed, “I wasn’t a Marauder for nothing,”� he replied wistfully, finally wrenching open his own case. “I suppose it’s alright. I mean, I do have another two cases. That should last us.”� 

 

Tonks choked on her whiskey, gazing wide-eyed at her older friend. “Ano-another c-case?”� 

 

Remus coolly sipped on his whiskey, replying, “Of course I have another case. We’ve got to last till midnight, you know.”� 

 

Tonks tipped her head back, swallowing close to half the bottle in one sip. She felt dizzy for a moment after she finished. Knocking bottles with Remus, she said, “Here’s to drinking.”� 

 

“Here’s to drinking,”� Remus laughed, swallowing a good deal of his own drink 

 

And that was how their night began. 

 

\- - - 

 

“Oh, Remmmmmmy!”� Tonks trilled, spinning around with a bottle in one outstretched hand. 

 

“Tonks?”� Remus replied warily, his eyebrows raised at the sight of an extremely drunk friend. “I’m right here.”� 

 

“Where?”� Tonks was facing her back to him, looking around the bottle-littered kitchen. 

 

Remus tapped her gently on the back, “Here.”� 

 

Tonks whipped around, her wand out. Laughing at the sight of Remus, she grinned, “Oh, Remy. You’re so silly.”� She patted him on the head before skipping into the living room, settling down on the sofa. 

 

Remus rubbed his head, trying to remember the last time anyone had done that. He’d forgotten not everyone had the alcoholic capacity the Marauders had had (well, at least the one Sirius, James, and he had had). Sighing, he walked into the living room. 

 

“Oh, Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemy,”� Tonks sang, knocking back yet another more than good amount of firewhiskey. 

 

Approaching her cautiously, Remus sat on the edge of her sofa, near where her head was resting. Tonks immediately sat up and looked with interest at Remus. Smiling, he reached for her firewhiskey bottle as she leaned forward. 

 

Before he knew what was happening, her lips were on his, her body pressed against his, their hands intertwined around the firewhiskey. Remus, shocked, tried to break away from the kiss. Of course, being at the edge of the sofa, this only resulted with him falling to the floor. Sprawled out on the wood, Remus muffled a groan as he rolled over to look at the wood.

 

He heard Tonks gasp and then the sound of her feet moving farther and farther away. He heard the faint sound of a bottle breaking, more footsteps. There was a slamming of a door, and then he heard no more. Remus didn’t make an attempt to move, the shock of what had just happened slowly fading from his mind. 

 

Tonks had kissed him. Kissed him. Kissed him. 

 

He propped himself up on his elbows, staring directly at the fireplace. Oh, Merlin. 

 

\- - - 

 

Tonks panted as she locked the door. She stared at the room, and her knees immediately weakened. She fell against the door, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor. She choked back a sob as she looked around the room. The incredibly empty room.

 

A tear trickled down her cheek. “Oh, Sirius,”� she whispered, trembling as she felt the salty tears roll down her cheeks. “What have I done?”� She moaned, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the door. 

 

A soft wind whistled through the open window, chilling the room. Tonks let out a strangled cry. “Come back!”� she sobbed. She lay on the floor, curling up into a ball and letting the tears fall. 

 

\- - - 

 

Remus swallowed hard as he stared at the closed door. He’d checked every other room and corner of the extremely large house, deliberately avoiding this room, leaving it for last. Why Tonks? He thought, shivering slightly. Licking his lips, he reached for the door handle. His hand stopped inches for the handle and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to slow his pounding heart. His stomach twisted as he grasped the cold metal and twisted. It didn’t turn all the way. 

 

Sighing in both relief and annoyance, Remus took a step back. His hands quivering slightly, he reached for his robe. He aimed it at the door, losing track of what he was about to do for a moment. He was out of breath suddenly and his wand quivered in his shaking hand. “Alohamora,”� he finally gasped in a barely audible voice. Still, it worked. The door opened and he heard a small sound of pain. 

 

His eyes widened and he rushed into the room. The iciness overwhelmed him immediately. The familiarity was too much. He could smell it, sense it. Remus felt his knees weaken and he closed his eyes, swallowing hard before taking a deep breath. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw Tonks sitting in a corner, her eyes red, a solitary tear running down her cheek. 

 

His heart leapt, but out of empathy, not love. Or at least, that’s what he told himself. 

 

“Remus,”� Tonks’ voice was a hoarse whisper. It was more of a question than a statement. Her eyes pleaded with him, though she said nothing more. 

 

He took a few steps toward her before dropping to his knees next to her and sitting against the wall. 

 

“Remus,”� Tonks whispered again, turning to him, her eyes still pleading. She hesitated a moment before asking softly, “Will you hold me? Please?”� 

 

Remus’ eyes softened and his heart thawed. All the thoughts that had been going through his head on his search throughout the house melted from his brain as he placed his arms around Tonks and let her rest her head on his shoulder. 

 

He felt the first tear hit his shoulder and drew her even closer. “Where is he, Remus?”� she cried into his shoulder. 

 

Remus closed his eyes, trying desperately to clear his head, to not let the sorrow get to him before he replied. “I don’t know. I-I don’t know.”� He whispered, his voice shaking. 

 

She lifted her head and looked him straight in the eyes. It wasn’t a plead that was in her eyes, it was need. She snaked an arm behind his neck, bringing it down towards her. Her eyes fluttered closed, her mouth parted slightly. 

 

“Tonks,”� Remus whispered hoarsely. “No. You. We. No, Tonks.”� He turned his head away from her, and her arm fell to her side again. 

 

She opened her eyes, a pained and confused look in her eyes. “Why?”� 

 

Remus found he couldn’t form full sentences as he looked at her. “Wolf… old… Sirius… too soon… Tonks,”� he mumbled, looking down at the floor, trying to catch his breath. 

 

He felt a warm hand on his cheek. He turned to Tonks, her eyes warm and filled with need, “Oh, Remus.”� She whispered. “I don’t care.”� She opened her mouth, about to say something. She licked her dry lips before finally saying, “I loved Sirius, Remus. As a cousin, I did.”� 

 

Remus didn’t say anything, but pictures of his best friend flashed through his mind. Remus closed his eyes once more, trying to choke down the feelings. He had to let go. Had to let go. 

 

“I loved him, Remus,”� Tonks was whispering into his ear, now, “I always will. I love you now, though, Remus. I need you. I need you.”� 

 

His eyes open and warm, he ran a hand through Tonks’ mousy brown hair. “Oh, Tonks,”� he whispered before pulling her close and kissing her. 

 

It was Sirius who’d brought them together as friends; it was Sirius who’d brought them together as lovers. In the end, love and whiskey is all one needs.


End file.
